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Source: Getty

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Asala Party

A backgrounder on the Asala Party.

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Published on Sep 20, 2011

This resource was published on 09/20/2011 and is not updated to reflect changing circumstances.

Al-Asala is a Salafi party founded by Adel Abd al-Maqsoud Afify following the January 2011 uprising. It is the second Salafi party after al-Nour to gain official recognition in Egypt. Al-Asala was a member of the Democratic Alliance.

Major Party Figures

General Doctor Adel Abd al-Maqsoud Afify: Founder and President
Mamdouh Ismael: Vice President
Ihab Mohamed Ali Sheeha: Founder
Mohamed Ibrahim Abdel Fattah Sultan: Founder

Background

In July 2011, Adel Abd al-Maqsoud Afify, then president of the al-Fadila Party, announced his resignation and founded al-Asala. A number of prominent Salafi preachers have declared their support for al-Asala, including Sheikh Mohamed Hassan, Mohamed Abd al-Maqsoud, Mohamed Abd al-Salaam, Sheikh Mostafa Mohamed, and Sheikh Mamdouh Gaber. The party’s stated goal is to spread the values of justice and equality, and to restore Egypt’s leading role in the world in conformity with the principles of Islamic law. The al-Asala Party gained official recognition as a political party on August 28, 2011.

Platform

Political Issues

  • Supporting an Islamic religious state in Egypt
  • Supporting reforms that will move the Egyptian state and society toward Islam
  • Treating all Egyptian individuals with justice regardless of their religious or political views
  • Fighting corruption
  • Prosecuting anyone who commits a crime against the Egyptian people
  • Affirming the freedom of the media but only under the restrictions of Islamic law

Socioeconomic Issues

  • Supporting a fair distribution of wealth
  • Working to raise the quality of life through social solidarity and the promotion of investment

Foreign Policy Issues

  • Working to return Egypt to its leading position in the Islamic world through an Islamic renaissance
  • Unifying the ranks of the Islamic world and pushing it to fight against injustice
  • Rejecting the Camp David Accords and peace with or recognition of Israel
North AfricaEgypt

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

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